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Topic: Duncan Greenless (Read 1414 times)

Duncan Greenless, was a Sanskrit scholar. He studied in Oxford and had many plans to be executed in India. He became a Theosophistand was commissioned by the Theosophical Society to write a 15volume history of religion. Besides he had grandoise designs to open many schools in India. He was eager to see a Master of spiritual realization to whom Theosophy had led him. He was then sent by Dr. Annie Besant to Madanappalle, in Andhra Pradesh to teach in J.Krishnamurti's school. In 1928-30, a great mental crisiscame to him and to all Theosophists. JK disowned his relationship with Theosophy and also gave away the title The Star of the East.

One evening around that time, came suddenly a startiling feeling of experience in full wakefulness. It startled, because it seemed tobelie much of Theosophical books' declaration that Self Realizationis remote for ordinary men. However, he continued to work inMadanapalle. In 1936, an old friend told him about his proposed visit to Sri Ramanasramam. Finally Duncan Greenless arrived atTiruvannamalai in October 1936. From the same friend, he got Self Realization, the book of Narasimha Swami.

He found in the Asramam, that there was none of that arrogant and ignorant contempt for foreigners. This was a great surprise for him. Then he saw the Maharshi.

That night he told his friend that he had met a person and he knew that he was a Jivan Mukta. "It cannot be explained as one knows that water is wet and sky is blue." It is as if the stormy nature, he brought into life with him had met a Master who could quell the waves with a silent word, "Peace, Be still.." like Him of Galilee.

"I was brought face to face with the eternal being that had entered and thrown off personalities in an unbroken chain through long ageson the earth. I knew myself to be absolutely one with the incarnate Peace on the sofa, and therefore to be one equally with the Unimanifest in whose stillness He was so obviously poised.

Greenless could not tear himself apart from Madanapalle for some more time, but he was visiting Bhagavan Ramana several times in subsequent years.

In 1946, in the Golden Jubilee Souvenir, he writes:

" Bhagavan, you will brush away all this nonsense. But, this book is our kingdom. In it, we say what we like about you and the blessings we have received from you. We shall not let you interrupt our foolish words just now. It is our chance to publicly proclaim our debt to the Silent Teacher of Tiruvannamalai..."

'This is a golden opportunity to come in touch direct with one of ourEarth's greatest children. May it be used by more and more thousands during the coming years! And may some who see this happy Golden Jubilee of His attainment be present to celebrate the centenary in His visible Presence in Tiruvannamalai."